GEORGE WONG

An urban political sociologist and ethnographer by training, I work at the intersections of urban governance, political cultures, community development and contemporary forms of collaborative urbanisms in making urban political lives and aspirations possible.

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My current research focuses on the relationship between political actors and grassroots politics in producing urban subjectivities that influence contemporary political experiences and outcomes. My work takes me on a journey into a plethora of sites, ranging from community development projects at the neighborhood level to cultural engagements and consumption of/through urban pop cultures to foster community integration and acceptance.

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My other project delves into the heart of urban political ecology, by uncovering the relationship between urban sustainability regimes and local communities within East and Southeast Asian cities. I am intrigued by how sustainability agendas are framed and negotiated by regime actors in the public, private and people sectors, defining the narrative and contours of urban sustainability that serve to create new discourses of legitimacy for various political purposes. I ground my investigation around cases such as eco-cities development, and empirical instances concerning communities' demand and desires for various ecological rights to the city. 

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I am also an educator, with a strong belief that research and pedagogy goes hand-in-hand in nurturing a public capable of making informed and impactful decisions in their public and private lives.

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I am currently Assistant Professor of Sociology (Education) at the Singapore Management University (SMU)​ My journey gets me plugged into the local scene as a community organiser, where I study local community actions firsthand as I engage in them. In this role, I interact with folks from all walks of life as we co-create new solutions for a shared future.   

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I am based in Singapore, where I call my inspiration, lab and home.